Means for rapidly processing photographic film



Sept. 8, 1953 A. w. TONDREAU MEANS FOR RAPIDLY PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 6, 1949 U 0 R 2 N 0 W m7 r E TLIQQ II V. W QQ 9 B im IIIIIIII I mw mm mm l M Q w M. D W10: v DO- 0 \M H o w 0 Sept. 8, 1953 A. w. TONDREAU MEANS FOR RAPIDLY PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 6, 1949 INVENTOR.

Sept. 8, 1953 A. w. TONDREAU MEANS FOR RAPIDLY PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 6, 1949 INVENTOR. Qaeemi @wazewa AVTQQVEM Se t. 8, 1953 A. w. TONDREAU 2,551,245

MEANS FOR RAPIDLY PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM Filed Oct. 6, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENTOR.

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6 Sheets-Sheet 5 II, lllll INVENTOR. 625597 01. FA QEEfi/ BY Sept. 8, 1953 A. w. TONDREAU MEANS FOR RAPIDLY PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM Filed Oct. 6, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. 0! Tawaeaw AWT'OENEV Patented Sept. 8, 1 953 MEANS FOR RAPIDLY PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHIC FIIM Albert W. Tondreau, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Warner Bros. Pictures,

1110., Burbank, Calif a corporation of Delaware Application October 6, 1949, Serial No. 119,824

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to film developing equipment, and particularly to a self-contained rapid film processing machine, whereby either a negative or positive emulsion has the latent images thereinsubjected tocptimum conditions of development, both from the temperature and from the developer, fixer, and water application standpoints, to provide not only a very short over-all time processing period, but also, particularly high quality images.

There are many film developing "machines of various types known in the art, many of which utilize spraying the processing fluids to the emulsion and the removal thereof by gravity or other methods, while maintaining the fluids at certain temperatures. Several types of rapid film drying processes are known, all of which contribute to decrease the over-all development time period. The present invention is directed to a unitary compact device which contains all the elements required to develop the film in a short time period, except for the wash Water, which is obtained simply by connecting the machine to nor- .mal house hot and cold Water supplies. The machine can process film at the rate of ninety feet per minute, so that it can be connected directly to a standard film projector and/ornamera, if .desired. The film is developed in approximately forty-two seconds.

Safety factors have been 'built into the unit, whereby a camera ma azine can be rapidly attached to the machine; the developer is applied in a manner to avoid fumes and spray streaks; interlocking switch controls insure the proper sequential operation of the various motors for the pumps, compressors, and film drive; automatic devices control the temperature of the fluids .used in developing; .a special ty peor rapid dryer is employed to permit .a longer length of film to be subjected to the drying action in the minimum .of space; and a cooler reduces the temperature of the film to a value Where it may be safely wound on a takeup reel. All 'thesefea- .tures have been incorporated in a compact device, which permits the development of a very large amount of film in a small space, thus avoiding the large present-day developing, washing, and hypo tanks.

The principal object .of the invention, theretore, is to facilitate the development of .motion picture film.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a compact and unitary, portable .film developing machine, which provides an improved image in .a shorter time period than that previously required.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method of and means for rapidly developing film and to obtain high quality images thereon.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved rapid film developing machine, which has the temperature of the developing fluids automatically controlled and provides a novel form of application of the developer fluid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved rapid film developing machine, which can develop film at a rapid rate of speed, which has a novel form of film drive, and which requires a small amount of floor space.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the appended claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. *1 is an elevational, front view of a developing machine embodying the invention with the doors to the different compartments removed.

Fig. '2 is an elevational, rear view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is :a plan view of the machine of the invention taken alon the line 3-301 Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a detailed, cross-sectional view of the entrance of the film to the developer tank taken along the line '44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detailed, cross-sectional view showin the application of the developer to the film as it enters the developer tank and taken along the line '55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '6 is an elevational view showing the film passage through the developer tank of the invention and taken along the line =66 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional, plan view showing .the developing fluid nozzles and the heater and temperature controls for the fluids.

Fig. .8 is an elevational view of the film dryer taken along. the line '88 .of Fig. 3.

Fig. .9 is va cross-sectional view of the dryer of Fig. v8 taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a circuit diagram of the electrical controls of the developing machine of the'inven- .tion.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the same numerals identify like elements, the machine has a frame :with bottom members 5 and appropriate upright members 6, -'I, -8, and 9 with a covermember Ill. The device is rectangular in sha e, both horizontally and vertically, and is provided With caster'wheels 12, I3, 14,-and -l-5,

so that the machine may be easily moved from place to place. As shown in Fig. 1, the standard type of film magazine ill is pivoted on a bracket l8 and held in place by a latch 119, the film in the magazine being spliced to a leader already in the machine. Thus, the machine is capable of being loaded in the daytime, since the developing and washing tanks are light-proof.

The machine has a plurality of compartments,

such as a film developer compartment or tank 2|, a quick wash compartment or tank 22, a fixing hypo compartment or tank 23, a Wash, compartment or tank 24, and a drying compartment 25. After the film 3| passes through these compartments, it passes in loops around a series of rollers 21 and 28, where it is exposed to the air and cooled before being wound on a takeup reel 39. The film 3| is shown passing through the various compartments to the takeup reel 99 in Figs. 1 and 3, and its manner of traveling within tanks 2|, 23, and 24 is shown in Fig. 6.

The developer tank 2| is filled with approximately two and one-half gallons of developer, to a level as indicated by the dotted line 99, while approximately two and one-half gallons of fixing hypo are similarly provided in the compartment 23 to the level shown by the dotted line 34. The wash water in compartment 24 passes directly out of the bottom of the tank to the sewer. The developer tank is shown as having an opening 35 thereto, the typo tank is shown as having an opening 36 thereto, and the wash tank as having an opening 31 thereto, all of which are closed by appropriate liquid and light-tight doors, as shown at H in Fig. '7. Exits for the fumes and gases from the developer and hypo tanks 2| and 23 are shown at |6 and 29, respectively. The quick rinse tank 22 has an opening at the of the machine closed by a cover 39.

The path of the film as advanced from the magazine H to the supply reel 39 will now be described, reference being made particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. The film enters the developing compartment or tank 2| through an opening 42 in the side of the compartment 2|, then past a developer spray nozzle 4|, over a roller 44, down under a roller 45, to a film sprocket 46, driven by a chain sprocket 41. As shown in Fig. 6, the film passes downwardly and upwardly in a series of loops over free running lower rollers 49 and upper free running rollers 59. The film then passes between squeegee blades over a roller 52, through an opening between quick wash tank 22, over a roller 54, under a roller 55, between squeegee blades 52, over a roller 53, through a second opening in the tank 22, over a roller 54, and to a film drive sprocket 56. The film then passes downwardly and upwardly over a group of free running rollers 58 and 59, similar to rollers 49 and 59 in compartment 2| (see Fig. 6), then through blades 6| of a squeegee, over roller 62, through an opening between compartments 23 and 24, over a roller 63, and to a film sprocket 64 in the wash tank 24. Again, the film passes in vertical loops between free running rollers 66 and 61 similar to its path in the compartments 2| and 23 (see Fig. 6), and then through air squeegee outlets 69, over roller it, through an opening between compartments 24 and 25, over a roller 1|, under a roller 12, between hot air squeegee outlets 13, over a roller 14, past a hot air outlet I5, to a roller i6. The film then passes around a pair of drying drums l8 and I9, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the film first passing top it around the drum it, then over a film drive sprocket 8|, around angle transfer roller 82, over a guide roller 83, around the drum 19, around roller 84, over a roller 85, under waxing rollers 86, to an over drive sprocket 88 having a pad roller 89 associated therewith. The film then passes around the cooling rollers 21 and 28 to the takeup reel 39. The sprocket 98 is overdriven through a clutch to compensate for shrinkage and contraction of the film 3| during the processing operations.

The film is only positively driven by sprockets 46, 56, 64, 8|, and 88, these sprockets being driven by respective chain sprockets 41, 9|, 92, 93, and 94, interconnected by a continuous chain 96 from the drive sprocket 91 of a motor 98, which also drives a second chain 99 from a countershaft sprocket 99, which drives sprocket 94 and the takeup reel 39. Thus, the film is driven at these points, while the rollers 49, 5B, and 66 are mounted on vertically slideable plates, such as shown at |9|, in Fig. 6, so that, as the film contracts and expands during the development thereof, the loops between the respective loop forming rollers in each tank may shorten or lengthen accordingly.

As mentioned above, one of the important features to obtain high quality images as well as the rapid development thereof is due to the particular application of the fluids to the film emulsion and the temperature thereof. This is obtained by the application of the developing fluids by a pressure spray, the fluids heated to approximately 125 F., wherein a large amount of the fluids is rapidly applied directly to the emulsion and the reaction products rapidly removed therefrom. The developer, fixer, and water are applied at a pressure of approximately eight to nine pounds. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the developer, hypo, and wash water are applied through a series of spray nozzles, the details of which are shown in Figs. 6 and '7. A spray pipe I95 has branches I96, I91, and I98, to which are attached spray nozzles shown at I99, H9, and Hi. A pipe ||3 delivers developer to the spray nozzle 4|, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which applies developer to the film emulsion immediately upon its entrance into the developing compartment 2 I.

It will be noted that not only is the developer applied to the film by the spray nozzle 4|, but it also immediately passes through a small sump tank ||4 around roller 45, the developer for the tank ||4 being supplied from the spray nozzle 4|. The developer exits from the tank ||4 through an opening H5 at the bottom of the tank, a baffle plate I I6 being provided to prevent the developer from striking the film in the loops between the rollers 49 and 59. A splash baflie plate In is provided over the film as it passes to roller 44.

This manner of applying developer is an important feature of the present invention, inasmuch as sufficient developer is applied immediately to the emulsion when it enters the hot developer spray tank 2| to start uniform development thereof, the emulsion then immediately passing into a bath of developer to continue the development before it is sprayed by nozzles I99, H9, and Ill. Without this particular entrance developing device, spray and fumes from the main developing nozzles I99, H9, and H reach the film before it reaches nozzles I99, and produce spots and streaks on the images which cannot be removed by further de- 'velopment. Thus, by immediately and uni- Iormly providing sumeient developer to the film emulsion as it enters the developing tank, such Spots and streaks are eliminated from the images. 7

The developer from the opening H5 and also from the nozzles I89, IIII, and HI falls to the bottom of compartment H, as shown at 83, and is then agitated and pumped by pump 120 driven by a motor I2I back to the nozzles again. Thus, the developer is circulated from the bottom of the compartment 21, through the pump, and up through the nozzles I08, I10, and III under pressure between eight and nine pounds, which is indicated on a pressure dial I22, the pressure dial being connected through a pipe '123 to the main developer supply line. To maintain the temperature of the developer at approximately 125 'F., electrical heaters I58 are provided in the bottom of tank 2| along with a thermostat control 2 and a thermometer control unit I60.

The motor l2'I also simultaneously drives another pump 125, which similarly circulates the hypo, .as shown at 34, through loop spray nozzles 125., I21, .and I28, and an overhead nozzle I29. The fixing fluid is under the same pressure as the developer, and is heated to the same temperature .by heaters I59 having a thermostat control 2'15 and a thermometer control unit I6I.

Between the developer and hypo tanks 2I and .23, the film passes through a short wash tank 22, where water is supplied to a pair of spray nozzles I31, under approximately eight and onehalf pounds pressure and at a temperature of approximately 125 R, for removing the developer from both sides of the film before it passes into the hypo tank 23. This water is supplied from the hot and cold water pipes 133, through a mixing valve 134, and a pressure regulator I35, the water from the tank 22 going through a drain opening and pipe I38 to the-discharge outlet pipe I31 connected to the sewer, a fume outlet being shown at 136. =tSee.Fig. 2.) The film, in leaving the developing tank 2I. passes between the squeegee blades 5| to remove excess developer, .is then washed by spray nozzles I3 I, and is again squeegeed by squeegee blades '52 before it enters the hypo tank 23. In this manner, substantially all the developer is removed from the film before it enters the hypo tank. v

The film in tank 23 travels in the same path as in tank 2 I, except from back to front, the hypo being agitated and circulated "by pump I25 and maintained at approinmately 125 F. by the heaters I59. After the film is "fixed in tank 23 it is squeegeed at '6'I, then enters the wash tank 2'4, and loops around rollers 66 and 611'nthe same manner as in developer tank 2 I. The washing is accomplished 'by spray nozzles, inside nozzles being shown at I40, HI, and I42, and outside nozzles for the back side of the film at I43 and I44. The water for washing the film is obtained in the same manner as for the nozzles I; that is, through the intake pipes I33, and out through discharge pipe I31. The temperature of this water is controlled by the mixing valve I34 to approximately 125 F and the pressure thereof is controlled by the pressure regulator I 35 to approximately eight and one-half pounds.

As the film leaves the wash tank 24, air from nozzles 68 is applied to both sides of the film to remove the major quantity of the wash water, the film then also passing through a similar pair of motors; tell-tale I86, for the tank nozzles 13, except that the air passing 13 is heated by a heater Il Fig. '2.) litter the film passes around roller '14, it is again subjected to a blast of hot air from nozzle 15,- so that as it reaches the first drying 18, there is negligible liquid thereon. The film is subjected to heat as it passes around the two drums 18 and 18, heat being obtained fromapair of electrically heated Nichrome bands I41 and 148, which are on the outside of the film and are thermostatically controlled, and wirlchremain at a desired constant temperature. The power for the heaters is provided by transformers and I51. Compressed air provided at the desired pressure by compressor I53, driven by a motor I54 by belts 155. An intake silencer is shown at I56, and an outlet silencer is shown at I51. Thus, although the air from drying Jets 6'9, 13, and 1.5 is under pressure, the noise of com: pression is reduced to a minimum. To aid in the drying operation, air from Jet's I 81 and 188 issupplied from a pipe I89 to the film, while on wheels 18 and 19. The wheels are film-pulled and rotate on bearing I910, the entire structure being mounted on a spider I91 attached to the frame as shown inFig. 9.

The action of the main spray nozzles is shown Fig. 7, wherein alternate nozzles sprayiin oppe site directions to contact the emulsion side of the film, which is within the loops. The .ii-ozzl 3] has a plurality of holes therein .for adequately covering the emulsion surface of the film 31, While the other nozzles emit thin ribbons of fluid. The film is thus subjected to a continuous rapid supply of fresh developer and the rapid removal thereof through gravity, while the temp ra ure of the developer and hypo is thermostatically controlled by heaters I58 :and I59 and thermostats -2I4 and 2I5, the temperatures being ind-icated-on meters I63 and I64, respectively, connected to thermometer elements I60 and 161.. Meter I65 indicates the pressure of the hypo, and

meter I66 indicates the temperature of the washing water, while meter I 61 indicates the pressure of this water. The water pressure is controlled by regulator I35 and the temperature or the water is controlled bymixing valve I34.

Another control panel is shown .in the lower right-hand corner of Fig. 1 (see alsoFig-ld), this panel having a tell-tale light 168 indica-t ing that the'main-circuit is turned on by assvitch I69; tell-tale I10 indicating that the heater breaker is turned on by switch "I; tell-tale 112 indicating that the pump breaker is energized by switch I13; tell-tale I14 indicating that the compressor motor and drive motor breaker are energized by switch I15; and tell tale 116 indicating that the breaker for the dryer heating elements .141 and 148 is energized :by switch I11. The upper portion of the meter panel :shows a start switch and .a stop switch I18I tor the developer and hypo pump motor 121, while a switch I82 and stop switch 183 are provided for the film drive motor and compressor motor. Tell-tale I84 indicates the energization of the motor for the pumps, and tell-tale I85 indicates the energization of the film drive and compressor heaters; telltale I81, for the developer heater; and tell-tale I88, for the hypo heater.

One of the features of the invention which contributes to obtaining a high development speed in a small space is the rapid drying process, wherein a double drum for heating the film is employed. Doubling the drum area by concentrically mounted drums, lengthens the amount of film subjected to the heating operation at one time and within a small over-all space, and per- .mits the film to be safely heated to a high temperature. The system is automatically controlled wherever a constant temperature or pressure is needed. To fully complete the preparation of the film in the event it is to be directl passed through a projector, a standard waxing unit is providsdat I9I, driven through gears and shafts in housing I92, which waxes the sprocket hole portions of the back side of the film.

The general electrical control circuit is shown in Fig. 10, a standard electrical power source of 220, three-phase, energy being supplied through the main circuit breaker I93. The heaters I58 and I59 are connected through heater breaker I94. Also connected to the main breaker is pump motor breaker I95, drive motor and compressor motor breaker I95, and the dryer heating unit breaker I97. The start switch I80 completes a circuit from one power conductor over conductor 206, over stop switch I8I, over contact 200, solenoid winding 20I, contact 202, conductor 203, to a second main conductor 204. Contacts 200 and 202 remain closed during normal operation, and open on overload conditions by the action of heater elements 208. Once the solenoid 20I is energized, contact 209 looks the circuit over closed stop switch I8I and power is applied to the pump motor .I2I. Tell-tale I84 is then energized. The relays operated by thermostats 2M and H5 are shown at 2H and 2I2, respectively, which energize and de-energize respective heaters I58 and I59.

' The start and stop drive motor and compressor motor switches I82 and I83 function similarly to the pump starting switches, except that the start switch connection from switch I82 is through stop switch I83 and over conductor 2 I8 and contact 2I'I. Start switch I82 first energizes relay 222 over conductors 230, 231, and 232, switches I82 and I83, and conductor 2I6, which closes its contacts, contact 223 permitting the energization of relay 220 over conductor 239, contacts 235 and 235, conductor 237, contact 223, conductor 238, switch I83, and conductor 2 I6. Thus, it is necessary for the developer and hypo pumps to be energized and operating before the film advanc ing mechanism, compressor motor, and heating units I47 and I48 are energized. This is a feature which provides the desired sequence of operations of the air compressor motor I54, film drive motor 98, and heaters I41 and I48. Contacts 235 and 233 normally remain closed, except during overload conditions, when opened by heaters 237. Protecting fuses are shown at 226 and 227.

In Fig. 2, the various pipe connections for the developer, fixer, water, and air are shown, these connections being standard plumbing practice to provide the results described above. For instance, pipes 245 and 254 deliver the rinse water to tank 22, pipe 246 goes to the water pressure indicator I67, pipe 241 delivers the developer to tank 2I, and pipes 248 and 249 are air delivering pipes. At 250 is shown a gear reduction box for the film drive motor 98. Hot air delivering pipe from heater I45 is shown at 252, and rinse water discharge pipe is shown at 253, while hypo delivering pipe is shown at 255 with pipe 256 leading to hypo pressure indicator I65.

At the rate of ninety feet per minute, approximately 171 inches of film are in the developer tank 2I for approximately 9.5 seconds; 14 inches of film are in rinse tank 22 for approximately .72 of a second; 171 inches of film are in fixing tank 23 for approximately 9.5 seconds; 171 inches of film are in wash tank 24 for approximately 9.5 seconds; 178 inches of film are in dryer compartment 25 for approximately 9.7 seconds; and 288 inches of film are in the air loops between rollers 21 and 28 for approximately 16 seconds. Although these times are preferred for a ninetyfoot per minute speed, other times may be provided, depending upon the immediate use of the film. By applying the developing fluids at the temperatures and in the manner described above, together with the drying method, excellent images are obtained on both negative and positive emulsions at a rapid rate within a small space.

I claim:

A film developing machine for obtaining rapid and uniform developing, fixing, washing, and drying of a film emulsion comprising spraying means for applying developer, fixer, and water in that order at a temperature of approximately degrees F. and a pressure of approximately eight and one-half pounds, means for initially spraying said emulsion, and means for immediately immersing said film emulsion in developer for approximately one second prior to the action of said first mentioned developer spraying means, said first mentioned spraying means applying said developer for approximately nine seconds.

ALBERT W. TONDREAU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,254,300 Baker Jan. 22, 1913 1,410,884 Brewster Mar, 28, 1922 1,411,098 Horton Mar. 28, 1922 1,479,453 Carleton Jan. 1, 1924 1,631,476 De Moos -June 7, 19 7 1,666,999 Garbutt et al Apr. 24, 1 2 1,728,361 Pifer Sept. 17, 1929 1,907,252 Debrie May 2, 1933 2,194,345 -Winians Mar. 19, 1940 2,251,232 Houston July 29, 1941 2,342,000 Leshing Feb. 15, 1944 2,401,185 Pratt May 28, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 557,933 Germany Aug, 30, 1932 443,581 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1936 

